Kennebunk Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get stuck into this one.

Honestly, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty bloody grim for a wave around here. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, junky surf that's not going to get the heart rate up. It’s going to be a waiting game.

We’re looking at a solid run of weak, short-period southerly slop with cross-shore or onshore winds. The combined energy is just pathetic, down in the 20s, 30s, and 50s – think small, gutless and messy. The swell direction never really lines up with what this spot wants. It’s a sheltered kind of set-up, so it needs something from the ENE to really wrap in, and we just aren't getting it. There are a few mornings early on, like the 4th and 8th, with light winds and clean conditions, but the swell is just too small to make it worth the paddle. The period is short, and it’s just not breaking with any sort of push.

We go through a full week of this – day after day of ankle-biters. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so it’s not a factor in making this any more appealing. If you’re a desperate kiter, a couple of those afternoons with a bit more breeze and a choppy cross-onshore wave might be more interesting than for us surfers.

Then, just when you’re about to sell your boards, the charts light up. On the 15th of August, things ramp up in a big way. We’ve got a serious pulse of ENE groundswell arriving, with the combined energy jumping to 1347. That’s a massive jump from the weak stuff we’ve been looking at. The period is up to 8 seconds in the morning and 10 by the afternoon, which gives it a bit more push, and the wind is forecast cross-off shore. Kennebunk Beach is an intermediate, fairly consistent spot, and on this day, the conditions look clean. The swell is going to be overhead at 12ft in the morning, jumping to a solid 16ft by the afternoon. That’s a lot of water moving. This is only for experienced surfers, plain and simple – it's big and powerful. This is the standout, no question.

The following morning, the 16th, is still holding onto that energy at 12ft with a longer 10-second period and more cross-off winds. Good waves again for the crew that’s comfortable in the bigger stuff.

So, to sum it up: a solid fortnight of nothing, followed by one hell of a pulse. Mark the 15th and 16th on your calendar, and be ready to move. The long-range call looks promising, but it's a week and a half away, so we keep our fingers crossed it holds together.

Rusty.

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